Ice cream cone dispenser



Nov. l2, 1940.

D. BERECK ICE CREAM GONE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 15, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l www y@ Nov'. 12, 1940. D. 'Bam-:CK 2,221,466

ICE CREAM GONE DISPENSER Filed Aug.l 15, 1958 s sheets-sheet 2 12, 1940.v D, BERECK .2,221,466v

ICE CREW GONE DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Skiset 3 Filed Aug. 1.5, 1938 3mm ANIEL EEREEK Patented Nov. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES ICE CREAM GONE DISPENSER Daniel Bereck, Dayton, Ohio, assigner to Jtmies` Balton, Baltimore,'Md.

Application August 15, 1938, Serial No. 225,006

1o anims. (o1. 31e-44) the prongs of either a bracket 5 (pedestal) or `The present invention relates to dispensing devices of the general type shown in my Letter Patent No. 1,743,092, issued January 14, 1930, and it particularly has for its object to simplify and I` improve the dispenser of said Letters Patent so as to reducethe cost of manufacture and to render the action more positive and with less likelihood of breaking the cones.

Further, it is an object to adapt a dispenser of the general type stated to the use of the boxes in which the cones are packed and shipped, as a part of the cone magazine of the dispenser.

`Again, it is an object to provide a dispenser which can, by the simple exchange of a single part, be adapted to dispense cones of different diameter bowls or heads.

Further, it is an object to provide such a dispenser as can be readily mounted either on a pedestal or on a wall bracket with equal facility.

Other objects will .inl part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends the invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of partsyall of which will berst fully described in the following detailed description,` and then be particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

30 Fig, 1 is a side elevationof one embodiment of the invention mounted on a pedestal.

Fig. 2v is an enlarged vertical section on approximately the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, the neareplate 24 being removed.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal detail section on a part of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the machine shown in Figs.\1 to 4, removed from the pedestal.

` Fig. 6 is a detail rear elevation (casing in section) of the operating mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a larger view, partly in elevationvand partly in section on approximately the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, but showing `the position of the parts just after a cone has been dispensed.

Fig. 8` is a detailperspective view of the cone ejector. i 1

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective `view of the cone restrainer or holder.

Inv the drawings, in which like numbers of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, the base-housing `is of rectangular formand is 55` preferably constructed of sheet-metal vertical walls I, a raised bottom 2 and a top 3. The top 3` and bottom 2 have aligningcone passages` 1 and `1x respectively (one in each, the top and bottom). f j

Beneath the bottom 2 are sockets 4 to receive 5a (wall). The bracket 5 is `carried by a pedestal 6 which also supportsa cone catcher 53 of any approved kind.

Underthey bottom 2 is pivoted et 9 e gate a which normally closes the passage (hole) 1X and holds up the stack of cones above the gate. This gate has a toothed segment I0 anda cam-slot II, the former meshing with a toothed segment I2 on shaft I 3 and the latter receiving the fingerend 2| of the lever 22. The shaft I3 is preferably of square form in cross section except for the bearings I4 which `in assembling are passedto position through slots LI6. The shaft I3 is ,bent parallel to the side walls, as at I5, and has its ends flattened to form nger pieces.

Attached to a pin I1 on segment I2, andto a lug I9, on the casingis a return spring I8.

The linger end ZI also passes through a slot 26 in the bottom 2. The` lever22 is pivoted at 23 between the plates 24. In addition to the fixed pivot pin 23, the plates 24 carry a second xed pin 36, hereinafter again referred to. A spacer 25 is secured firmly to and between the plates 24 by bolts 26 (or other 'suitable means) and the plates ,have their feet `55 secured iirmly to the bottom 2. The spacer 25 has a beveled vupper end 25x serving as an abutment.

Pivotally connected tolthelrear `end of a U- shaped bar-memberH 21 `by a pin 22x passing through holes 21c in' the bar member, is`the upper end of the lever 22. The rear end of 21 is bifureated to receive the lever. At the from' the bar 21 has two circular-arc arms 28 adapted to embrace a cone beneath its `mouth rim and sustain the cone when the arms are projected forwardly into the cone-guiding tube 4I. The bar 21 has longitudinal slots 21a through which the pin 36 passes. There are also holes 21b in which a pin is carried by the bar 21. Thebar 21 fits within another U-shaped bar l29 which also has curved arms 30 which lie outside the arms 28 and are provided with laterallyprojected cone-mouth-engagng fingers 31. `The `bar 29 has longitudinal slots v3| the'rear extremities of which are somewhat enlarged, as at 32, for a purpose presently made clear.

The pin 36 also passes through the slots 3| while the pin 35, that is `carried bythe bar 21 in holes 21h, lies in vertical slots 34 in the bar 29.` The bar `29 also has cam-heels `33 to cooperate with the beveled portion 25" of the spacer 25` (see Fig. 7) y A lower tube V38 is secured to the bottom 2, permanently, over the hole 1X and is of the diameter of that hole, i. e., large enough to receive thelargest size cone that the machineis designed to dispense'.` The upper tube III` (orulIIal has lugs 40 to `fit in thel straps`39 stamped'iny thetube 38. The upper tube 4I (Ma) has' a cut-l away portion 54 in which the arms 28 and 30 work. 'I'he combined height of tubes 38-4I is that of the space between the top 3 and the bottom 2 (see Fig. 7).. When the largest-head cones are to be dispensed, two tubes (3.8 and 4I) will be of the same inside diameters (see Fig. 2), but when cones with smaller heads are to be dispensed an upper tube 4Ia of correspondingly smaller diameter will be used (see Fig. 7).. When the smaller tubes 4la are used, the arms SI1-28 are bent closer together, so as to operate properly on the smaller cones, than they are when they are to operate on the larger cones.

When the improved dispensing mechanism is to be used in dispensers where the shipping carton is to be used as the magazine, there is provided a shallow box 42 pivoted centrally at 44 to the top 3. The box 42 is of the same form as the carton 48 (usually square in cross section). It has one hole 43 in each quadrant for the discharge of the cones, but only one of such holes 43 registers at `a time with hole 'I. The box 42 also has four latch-holes rto receive the latch Vpin or bolt (preferably semi-spherical) 46 held by a leaf spring 41 riveted or otherwise secured to the top 3. f

The 4carton 48 is divided into four cells by crossed partitions 49 and 5I) (see Fig. 2) each cell `containing a stack of cones 5I. The cones usually have lnesting rings '52 to prevent sticking of the cones together as much as possible. When one cell becomes empty the box 42 is turned 90 to bring the next cell into position to be dispensed.

Operation.

45 ator presses down on the lever-arms I5 to move the same from the `position shown in Figs 1 and 2 to the vposition shown in Fig. 7. In doing so the toothed segment I2 is tur-ned counter-clockwise in Fig. 2 and the gate 8 turned counterclockwise in Fig. 5 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, thereby 'freeing the cone stack of its support `by the gate. However, before the gate .has opened the hole 'IX su'iciently to pass from under the tip of the lowermost cone, the

arms 28 and 3D will have been projected lforwardly so as to pass between the top -edge of the lowermost cone and ythe `mouth-rim of the `next cone above.

As soon as the gate 8 has opened hole 'Ix and 30 passed from beneath the cones, the iinal portion of the forward stroke of the lever 22 will bring heels 33 into contact with abutment 25x and rock arms A30 downwardly, thereb-y causing the lateral fingers 31 to press down on the mouthk rim of the lower cone and free it from 'the stack while the remainder of the stack is held up by arms 2.8 until, on'the return movement of levers I5, the gate 8 is again brought beneath the points of the cones ,in closing the hole 1X. As

soon as the gate has sufliciently closed under the hole 1X, the arms 28-30 will be `withdrawn from the cones and the stack will drop until the point of rthe lowermost cone remaining in the stack rests on gate V8; This completes the operation cycle.

The parts of the dispenser proper (excluding the supporting pedestal 6 and brackets 5 or 5a), except the shaft, I3, may all be formed of sheet metal, largely by stamping operations, and thus the expense of manufacturing is vreduced to a minimum. y

By making the upper section 4I--4Ia of the guide tube detachable from the lower section and making the top 3 detachable, the dispenser can be almost instantly converted for one size cones `or another by simply exchanging the upper section lil-4Ia and pushing together or spreading apart the arms 28-30 the required amount for the size of the cone to be dispensed.

While I have described the machine as a cone dispenser, it is obvious that it may readily be designed to dispense other similarly shaped articles such as pastry cups, paper drinking cups, etc.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention rwill be clear to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

What I claim is:

l. In a dispenser for ice cream cones and similar articles, a casing having a top and a bottom, said bottom having a discharge hole, a cone stack guide located within the casing through which the cones ,are passed to said discharge hole, said top having an opening for the insertion of cones in the cone stack guide, a gate closing said hole, means to move said gate to uncover said hole, and means operable in harmony with the gate movements to effect a release of the bottom cone of the stack and hold up the remainder when the gate has uncovered said hole, said cone stack guide comprising a fixed lower section and a detachable upper section and means to hold the upper section to the lower section against rotation.

2. In a dispenser for ice cream cones and similar articles, a casing having a top and a bottom, said bottom having a discharge hole, a cone stack guide located within the casing through which the cones are passed to said discharge hole, said top having an opening for the insertion of cones in thecone stack guide, a gate closing said hole, means to move said gate to uncover said hole, and means operable in harmony with the gate movements to eiiect a release of the bottom cone of the stack and hold up the remainder when the gate has uncovered said` hole, said cone stack guide comprising a fixed lower section and a detachable upper section and means to hold the upper section to the lower section against rotation, said upper section having a cut-out portion to admit said cone release eiecting and hold up means.

3. In a dispenser for ice cream cones and similar articles, a casing having a top and a bottom, said bottom having a discharge hole, a cone stack guide located within the casing through which the cones are passed to said discharge hole, said top having an opening for the insertion of .cones in the cone stack guide, a gate closing said hole, means to move said gate to uncover said hole, and means operable in harmony with the gate movements to effect a release of the bottom cone oi the stack and hold up the remainder when the gate has uncovered said hole, said cone stack guide comprising a tubeV having a cutaway portion to admit said cone release effecting and hold up means.

ll. In a dispenser for ice cream cones and similar articles, a casing having a top and a bottom, said bottom having a discharge hole, a cone stack guide located within the casing through which the cones are passed to said discharge hole, said top having an opening for the` insertion of cones in the cone stack guide, a gate closing said hole, means to move said lgate to uncover said hole, andmeans operable in harmony with the gate movements to effect a release oi the bottom cone` of the `stack and hold up the remainder when the gate has uncovered said hole, said cone stack guide comprising a tube having a cut-away portion to admit-said cone release effecting and hold up means, said cone release effecting and hold up means including two nested channel-bars each having arms for embracing the cones in the stack, means to receiprocate said bars to project said arms into and withdraw the same from said cut-away portion and means to rock one of said bars with its arms downwardly when projected so as to eject the lowermost cone from the stack.

5. `In a dispenser for ice cream cones and similar articles, a casing having a top and a bottom, said bottom having a discharge hole, a cone stack guide, located within the casing through which the cones are passed to said discharge hole, said top having an opening for the insertion of cones in the cone stack guide, a gate closing said hole, means to move said gate to uncover said hole, and means operable in harmony with the gate movements to eiect a release of the bottom cone of the stack and hold up the remainder when the gatehas uncoveredsaid hole, said cone stack guide comprising a tube having a cut-away portion to admit said cone release effectingand hold up means,` said `cone release eiecting and hold up means including a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends inl said casing and having `a iinger at its lower end, said gate being pivotally mounted and having `a cam-slot to receive said linger and to rock the same as the gate is turned, a pair of bars each having cone-embracing arms mounted in the casing in position to be reciprocated toward and from` said cone stack guide, means connecting said bars with the upper end of said lever, one of said bars being pivotally mounted on the other bar, means to guide said barsto be projected in unison during the major portion of their travel, and means operating near the end of the forward stroke of said bars for rocking said pivotally mounted bar to lower its arms into pressure contact with the mouth-rim of the lowermost `cone in the stack while the arms of the other bar remain in position to hold back the remaining cones in the stack.

6. In a dispenser for ice cream cones and similar articles in which is provided a casing having a top and a bottom and containing cone dispensing mechanism, the top having an opening for the insertion of `cones into the dispensing mechanism, and the bottom having a discharge hole, a box-like holder rotatably mounted on a vertical axis on top of said casing, said holder having discharge holes` in its bottom symmetrically disposed around its axis, a carton with an open end tted in said holder and having cells to contain the stacks of cones, the carton serving as a when the holes are in direct alignment with the opening in the top of the casing. i 7. In a machine of the character described wherein is provided a casing having a top and a bottom, said top having a receiving hole and said bottom having a discharging hole; a carton holder rotatably mounted on top of said casing, a carton divided by partitions into several cells disposed concentrioally with the axis of said carton holder and held in place by said holder, said holder being of less depth than said carton, whereby the carton acts as the cone magazine, and `means to hold said holder in position on said casing with one cell of the carton in line with the receiving hole of said casing. 8. In a dispenser for ice cream cones and similar articles, a casing having a top and a bottom, said bottom having a discharge hole, a cone stack guide located within the casing through which the cones are passed to said discharge hole, said top having an opening for the insertion of cones in the cone stack guide, a gate closing said hole, means to move said gate to uncover said hole, and means operable in harmonywith the gate movements to eect a release of the bottom cone of the stack and hold up the remainder when the gate has uncovered said hole, said cone stack guide comprising a xed lower section and a detachable upper section and means to hold the upper sectionto the lower section against rotation, said upper section being of lesser diameter than said lower section.

9. In a dispenser for ice cream cones and similar articles, a casing having a top and a bottom, said bottom having a discharge hole, a cone stack guide within the casing through which the cones are passed to said discharge hole, said top having an opening for the insertion of cones in the cone stack guide, a gate closing said hole, means to move said gate to uncover said hole, and means operable in harmony with the gate movements to effect a release of the bottom cone of the stack and hold up the remainder when the gate has uncovered said hole, said last named means including two nested channeled bars each having arcuate cone-embracing arms and means to project said bars forwardly in unison during a portion of their movement and ,then move the arms of one bar downwardly to release a cone while the arms of the other bar remain in position to hold back the remainder of the stack.

10. In a dispenser for ice cream cones and similar articles, a support having a bottom, said bottom having a discharge hole, a cone stack means including two nested channel-bars each` having arms for embracing the cones in the stack, means to reciprocate said bars to project` said arms into and withdraw the same from said opening, and means to `rock one of said bars withv its arms downwardly when projected so as to eject the lowermost cone from the stack.

:DAN Bramer; 

